February 2010 Archives

Beginning earlier today, many PlayStation 3 owners have had difficulty connecting to the PlayStation Network. At this time, Sony has not yet solved the issue. While the connectivity problem does not seem to affect the recently released "slim" PlayStation 3 units, other PlayStation 3 gamers worldwide have been unable to connect.

UPDATE (3/1/2010): Sony advises owners of older PlayStation 3 units not try to use their console, as the situation has not been resolved and attempts to connect may cause further errors.

UPDATE (3/1/2010): Sony has fixed the problem. Apparently, older PlayStation 3 units thought 2010 to be leap year, and were unable to reconcile the console's date with the time stamp on remote servers.

Earth is completely at peace, at least as far as the public is concerned. In the year 2024, The Millennium Peace Accord put drastic restrictions on troop deployments and limited the size of armies that governments could levy. The three major private military corporations – international, publicly traded companies whose product is military force and who were founded in the early years of the century – become the only forces who can truly wage war. With all three companies eager to land lucrative international military contracts, SVER, Raven and Valor are locked into the "Shadow War." The year is 2025, and all three corporations fight secret, unofficial battles for financial and military supremacy.

Independent Developer Spiderweb Software has released the final game in the Avernum series as a download for the PC and Mac. Avernum 6 is the final installment in the series of isometric-perspective role-playing games set in a vast underground world.

I-play, part of Oberon Media, has released Nora Roberts Vision in White as a download for the PC. This hidden-object adaptation of the popular novel has players taking on the role of a wedding photographer seeking romance while planning weddings. The game is available as a download through some portals.

Paradox Interactive has released Achtung Panzer: Kharkov 1943 as a download for the PC. Developed by Graviteam and Snowball Studios, this is a detailed strategy game that explores WWII battles in the Ukraine.

Nintendo confirmed that it plans to launch a considerably larger version of the Nintendo DSi handheld console on March 28. For $190, video gamers will be able to acquire a version of the DSi that is 93% larger and features a wider viewing angle. Available in burgundy and bronze colors, the DSi XL will come packaged with a variety of preinstalled games, including two Brain Age Express titles.

GameStop announced today that its Chief Financial Officer, Catherine Smith, has resigned and will be accepting a position at Walmart. Robert Lloyd, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer will serve as interim Chief Financial Officer while GameStop searches for a replacement. On the news, GameStop's stock price fell close to 10%. The concern is that Smith only took the CFO post in August, so why is she resigning after two quarters? She might simply have been lured by the promise of a Walmart job, but investors are concerned she learned something disconcerting during her tenure as GameStop's CFO that prompted her departure.

Sega has shipped the Limited Edition of its real-time strategy game for the PC Napoleon: Total War to stores in North America. This game extends the Total War franchise's take on land and sea battles to the Napoleonic military campaigns.

Developer Judobaby announced that it has emerged from stealth mode and is currently working on an unannounced game for the Wii. The company launched on February 13, 2009 and was founded by two Sony veterans and a variety of talented programmers.

The two biggest U.S. Christian video game companies, Left Behind Games and Digital Praise, announced that they have entered into a merger agreement. In part, the timing of the announcement is designed to distract investors from the poor financial results that Left Behind Games announced, and is a "reverse triangular merger agreement." Ultimately, Digital Praise shareholders will end up in control of the company that will trade under Left Behind Games' ticker (until the ticker symbol is changed). More terms of the transaction follow:

Atlus USA has shipped its game Metal Slug XX for the PSP to stores in North America. This latest installment in the side-scrolling shooter Metal Slug franchise features six players, any two of which can co-operatively conquer the game.

Sega has shipped Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS and PC to stores. The game has Sonic the Hedgehog and other famous Sega characters indulging in kart racing on tracks set around the world.

Atari's game Hello Kitty: Birthday Adventure for the DS has shipped to stores in North America. The game has a variety of Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty, hanging out, shopping and playing character-specific mini-games.

Capcom announced that its Chief Operating Officer, Mark Beaumont, passed away this morning. Beaumont was a Capcom Executive Vice President and head of software publishing for the Americas and Europe. There is currently no news on his planned replacement.

Sony Online Entertainment has launched the latest (and ninth) release for its online trading card game Legends of Norrath. The "Vengeful Gods" expansion for this EverQuest-themed game adds new cards (and loot cards), new characters and extends the game's plot by pitting players against avatars of Norrath's gods.

Deep Silver has shipped the Xbox 360 version of its game Risen to stores in North America. This massive RPG shipped for the PC last year and has players investigating ancient temples that have risen from the ground, unleashing monsters on the world.

Konami's game Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2010: Reverse of Arcadia for the DS is now in stores in North America. This latest Yu-Gi-Oh! card game for the DS incorporates elements from the latest animated TV series, with around 3,500 cards that players can use to duel over the DS Wi-Fi connection.

NCsoft has launched the latest major content update for Lineage, one of the longer-running massively multiplayer online games for the PC still extant. "Episode U" adds tons of new content (including zones, bosses, quests, items and mini-games), also allowing players to re-roll their initial statistics, thereby reinventing their characters without losing as much as a decade of progress.

Ignition Entertainment's game Deadly Premonition is now in stores for the Xbox 360. The game has players investigating a series of mysteries that plague a small Washington-state town as an FBI special agent.

Tomy's game Lovely Lisa and Friends is now available for the DS. The game is a fashion doll simulation that allows DS owners to clothe and accessorize Lisa and her two friends. DSi owners can also take pictures of real-world items and incorporate them into their designs.

Paradox Interactive has released its game Arsenal of Democracy as a PC download through major download portals. Developed by BL-Logic, the game is built on the Hearts of Iron II engine and has players leading any one of the many of the nations that participated in World War II.

Sony has launched Quantic Dream's game Heavy Rain for the PlayStation 3. In the tradition of the game Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain mixes adventure game elements with action sequences and quick-time events to present a psychological thriller on your console.

Square Enix's game Pony Friends 2 is now in stores in North America. Available for the Wii and DS, the game allows players to choose from 12 breeds of pony, train and care for that pony, and then take that pony on a variety of horse activities.

Heatwave Interactive, a casual publisher, is excited that it has acquired the massively multiplayer online game Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising from PlayGrid. While production on Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising ceased in 2007, when it was in development at Perpetual Entertainment, the underlying technology will serve as the basis of other MMOGs Heatwave has planned.

Nintendo has shipped its game Endless Ocean: Blue World for the Wii. This is the second game of undersea exploration that Nintendo has released for the Wii, adding new simulated ocean elements and an expanded story players can follow.

Egosoft's compilation, X3: Gold Edition for the PC is now available at stores in North America. The collection includes X3: Reunion (including the Bala GI Missions) and X3: Terran Conflict (including the Aldrin Missions). Players can pilot a ship around the universe, following the plot, fighting or trading as they see fit.

Publisher iEntertainment Networks has launched the latest version of its WarBirds franchise, WarBirds' Dogfights for the PC. This single-player aerial combat game allows players to pilot one of 100 historical aircraft in combat missions across Europe and the Pacific.

The Freya's Prospect Colony is operated by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation on the eighth planet orbiting the star WY-BG-3. Four months ago, Karl Bishop Weyland showed a personal interest in the colony, shutting down all joint ventures on the planet. Simultaneously, Weyland-Yutani dramatically increased traffic to this fledgling world. Now, an urgent request for assistance has brought in the marines. Something Mr. Weyland has discovered not only fascinates him, but appears to involve other, dangerous alien species.

Telltale Games has shipped a compilation of the four episodes of Wallace & Gromit's Grand Adventures for the PC to stores in North America. These adventure games feature Aardman Animations' inventor and pooch pair in a series of unlikely adventures.

Funcom has launched the sixth major content update for its massively multiplayer online game Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures. Called the "Return of Thoth-Amon," the update adds a dungeon featuring Conan's nemesis Thoth-Amon, plenty of other new content and guild renown so that guilds can unlock rewards through play.

Tecmo Koei has shipped Dynasty Warriors: Strikeforce for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 to stores in North America. The game is an even more mystical take on the Dynasty Warriors franchise in which the warriors in this tactical action game can possess lightning-speed or even the ability to fly.

Casual game publisher Merscom has released Black Circle, a hidden-object game, through certain download portals. The game casts players as detective Carol Reed investigating the disappearance of a dead body.

This week's download for Xbox Live Arcade is The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom. Xbox 360 owners can download the game for 800 points ($10). Published by 2K Play (part of Take-Two Interactive) and developed by The Odd Gentlemen, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom is a puzzle game in which P.B. Winterbottom uses the time-control powers he gained from eating Chronoberry pie to steal and consume the most elusive pies available.

SouthPeak Games has shipped Crime Scene for the DS to stores in North America. The game has players taking on the role of a newly-minted forensic detective named Matt Simmons as he investigates a double murder.

Xseed Games has shipped Korg DS-10 Plus for the DS to stores in North America. This is a revamped version of Korg DS-10 developed by Cavia in conjunction with Procyon Studio, that implements many features of the MS-10 synthesizer on the DS so that DS owners can create music.

Stargate Resistance is now available as a download through Steam. The game is a third-person shooter based on the Stargate television shows and film in which the forces of Earth's Stargate Command face off against the armies of the Goa'uld.

Ragnarok DS from Xseed Games is now available for the DS in stores in North America. Developed by Gungho Works in cooperation with Gravity Interactive, the game offers an offline, DS version of the massively multiplayer online game Ragnarok Online.

According to this post on the World of Warcraft forums, Blizzard does not plan to renew Upper Deck's license to produce World of Warcraft: The Trading Card Game. Blizzard apparently plans to continue to support the game, but is seeking a new partner to continue the trading card counterpart to World of Warcraft.

Sony has released SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs - Fireteam Bravo 3 for the PSP to stores in North America. This latest SOCOM game brings four-player cooperative play to the PSP as PSP owners work as part of a four-man fireteam working to stop a possible terrorist attack coordinated by a former KGB agent.

Atlus' game Shiren the Wanderer for the Wii is now in stores in North America. This newest Shiren game has players taking on the role of the wandering samurai Shiren as he explores a millennium of Japanese history and mythology.

Sony Online Entertainment has launched the sixth major expansion for its massively multiplayer online game EverQuest II, called Sentinel's Fate. The expansion is available in stores as part of a compilation, and can also be downloaded (shortly).

Capcom has shipped Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth for the DS to stores in North America. Following in the tradition of the Phoenix Wright games, this game introduces Miles Edgeworth as he investigates crime scenes in search of critical evidence.

Sega's game Alien vs. Predator is now in stores in North America. Developed by Rebellion, the developer responsible for the original PC game, Alien vs. Predator features campaigns for the Human marines, Xenomorph aliens and Predators, as well as multiplayer combat. The game is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

Majesco has shipped Data East Arcade Classics for the Wii to stores in North America. Developed by G1M2, this is a compilation of 15 classic arcade games, including BurgerTime, Heavy Barrel and Side Pocket.

Kalypso Media has shipped the Xbox 360 version of Tropico 3 to stores in North America. This dictatorship simulation has players leading a Caribbean nation to prosperity while lining a Swiss bank account with cash.

The Grey Wardens are a tiny, devoted force whose entire existence is dedicated to defeating the Blights that spread across the face of Ferelden every few hundred years. Only the Grey Wardens have the magical link and extensive skills to defeat an Archdemon (an ancient, tainted dragon) that marches at the head of the darkspawn army that emerges each blight.

Under most circumstances, membership in the Grey Wardens would be a great honor, but with a new Blight imminent and a major betrayal decimating the Grey Wardens, not only is membership a burden, the fate of Fereldon depends on the few remaining Grey Wardens.

Rude Gameware has released its Primal Wireless Headset specifically designed for use with the Xbox 360 console. This headset communicates with a station that attaches to the console over 25 feet of space using infrared communication. The headset is available through a variety of retailers including Rude's own site.

Activision, part of Activision Blizzard, has released the game Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief for the DS. The game is based on the film of the same name that will reach theaters tomorrow, in turn based on the first book in the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series of novels.

Mythic Entertainment, part of Electronic Arts, has reclaimed the publishing, operating and subscription service rights for Dark Age of Camelot in Europe. Previously operated (under a license from Mythic) by GOA, a division of France Telecom, all operational responsibilities will return to Mythic late next week and European subscribers will be updated to the latest North American version of the game.

Square Enix's game Star Ocean: The Last Hope - International for the PlayStation 3 is now available in stores in North America. This prequel to the Star Ocean role-playing game franchise was released previously for the Xbox 360 and can now be purchased for the PlayStation 3.

This week's downloadable game on Xbox Live Arcade is Darwinia+. Available for 1,200 points ($15), this indie hit from Introversion Software is a strategy game in which digital stick figures battle against a world infected by a computer virus.

Sega's game Super Monkey Ball: Step & Roll for the Wii is now in stores. The game has players tilting play fields to guide monkeys in balls to goals while collecting bananas. It's also compatible with the Wii Balance Board.

Together with Screenlife, Konami has launched Scene It? Twilight for the DS. This trivia game focuses on the first Twilight film, using music, and video clips to supplement the multiple-choice questions.

Stardock has released Sins of a Solar Empire: Trinity for the PC as a download and as a boxed version in North American stores. This real-time strategy game compilation includes the original Sins of a Solar Empire as well as the two expansions: Entrenchment and Diplomacy.

Electronic Arts' game Dante's Inferno is now available in stores in North America. The game shipped late last week to stores in Europe. Already available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, a version of the game should be released for the PSP on February 22. The game is a loose, action-heavy adaptation of a portion of Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.

BioShock 2 from 2K Games (part of Take-Two Interactive) is now in stores in North America. The game is available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC and revisits the world created for the original BioShock. The game features a story set just prior to the undersea city of Rapture's descent into chaos and includes competitive multiplayer action.

Nexon America has officially launched its game PopTag! for the North American audience. The game is an "arcade-style multiplayer hyper puzzle action game where players engage in frenzied water balloon battles that pit them against each other or cooperatively against monsters." The official launch means that the game's cash shop is now available so that people can spend real money on the game.

Publisher PlayFirst has hired Mitali Pattnaik as its General Manager of Social Games. Prior to joining PlayFirst, Pattnaik was with Electronic Arts where he served in positions directing online marketing for The Sims 3 and worked to monetize EA's social gaming efforts. At PlayFirst, Pattnaik will be responsible for social gaming initiatives including developing games for Facebook.

Microsoft announced that on April 15, the company will discontinue Xbox Live service for original Xbox consoles and games ("including Xbox v1 games playable on Xbox 360 and Xbox Originals"). In this letter from Marc Whitten, Microsoft confirms that it will focus on Xbox Live connectivity for the current generation of console, the Xbox 360.

Game retailer Gamestop has registered an additional three million shares of Class A Common Stock so that the company can issue these shares to its executives and directors as part of their compensation plan. These additional shares will dilute the company's 43.5 million previously issued shares of Class A Common Stock.

A fledgling Slayer is about to be initiated. The order of Slayers have hunted dragons and the draconic humans known as Dragon Knights to near-extinction, ever since a rogue Dragon Knight slew the Divine. The Divine, a hero whose tale is recounted in Divine Divinity had spared the life of Damian, son of The Damned One and heir to horrific evil. With the help of the Black Ring, an order of humans loyal to the Damned Horde, Damian prepares to take control of the world of Rivellon, crushing it under his unsympathetic rule.

What is a Slayer to do? Face a dragon, of course. But what happens when that Slayer is unprepared for the remarkable mental powers of a Dragon Knight? That Slayer could end up upsetting the very balance of power and determine the fate of Rivellon.

Electronic Arts is pleased to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of The Sims franchise. Since the original The Sims game launched on February 4, 2000, more than 125 million units of The Sims, its sequels and expansions have been sold, making it the best-selling PC game. Heck, the game manual has even been used in wedding vows.

Konami has finally settled litigation that it began against hobby game publisher Upper Deck in October of 2008. Konami alleges that Upper Deck was supplying counterfeit Yu-Gi-Oh! cards to retailers. Konami claims that Upper Deck was having such cards printed in China and imported them to North America, while taking "extensive steps to cover-up that activity."

Turbine has launched the third major update for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited (the third update since DDO went free-to-play). The update adds four, free, high-level adventures and a new "casual mode" to help players solo, while also adding social, special events.

Ubisoft's title Imagine: Reporter for the DS is now in stores in North America. The software has DS owners taking on the role of a reporter, travelling throughout a city seeking interview candidates while trying to create a magazine-cover-worthy story.

Following the resignation of Dan Rosensweig, formerly the man in charge of Activision Blizzard's Guitar Hero unit, Activision Publishing has appointed David Haddad to lead the Guitar Hero unit. Haddad was already the Chief Operating Officer for Guitar Hero, and will now run the unit, reporting directly to Mike Griffith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Activision Publishing.

Puzzle Chronicles for the DS and PSP is now in stores in North America. This puzzle game with role-playing elements from Konami has players embarking in an epic quest resolved through straightforward puzzle-game mechanics.

Atari and Cryptic Studios have launched their massively multiplayer online game Star Trek Online. Available for the PC, the game is set in the year 2049 and has players taking on the role of a ranking Starfleet officer.

White Knight Chronicles: International Edition is now available for the PlayStation 3. Developed by Level-5, the developer behind games like Rogue Galaxy, this role-playing game has players landing in the middle of a war between two kingdoms battling a secretive sect to restore peace.

Winter Wolves has released The Flower Shop, a dating and farming simulation for the PC. Available as a download for the PC from Winter Wolves' site, the game has players taking on the role of a college freshman working on his uncle's farm for the summer, near three attractive women.